


A Tree Grows In Bay City

by mvernet



Category: Starsky & Hutch
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Older Boys, lovelovelove
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-03
Updated: 2015-05-03
Packaged: 2018-03-28 19:00:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3866143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mvernet/pseuds/mvernet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's 2008. Starsky & Hutch are retired and on their way to San Francisco for a long overdue Honeymoon.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Tree Grows In Bay City

**Author's Note:**

> This story is dedicated to my own wonderful and supportive Hutch. My technical adviser and expert on the history of the seventies.
> 
> We were married in 1978 and will celebrate our 36th year together on May 5, 2015.
> 
> I still love ya, Babe. You're still the one. Thanks for puttin' up with your little Starsky all these years!

Bay City, California, May 5, 2oo8

"Come on, Starsk! What's taking so long?" called Hutch from the driveway. He had already put the suitcases in the trunk and packed the small cooler with drinks, sandwiches and homemade chocolate chip cookies donated by Huggy and Mrs. Huggy, the former Lieutenant Joan Meredith, for the road trip. Hutch shook his head and went to lock up the garage.

Starsky had been searching for his inhaler, and had found it on Hutch's restored antique piano, next to a brand new framed wedding picture of Hutch and himself. He slid a finger lovingly over Hutch's face encased in glass. California had finally allowed Gay marriage in 2008, and Starsky & Hutch had marched proudly into City Hall, holding hands, and been granted a certificate stating something Starsky had known for over thirty-five years. He belonged to Hutch, heart and soul and Hutch belonged to him. 

Huggy had given them a reception party at his and his son Harry's new and booming micro brewery/restaurant, "Huggy Bear's Brewery-Famous for Huggy Bear Brown Beer." The place had been full of old friends and new admirers. For Starsky & Hutch were idolized by the new generation of police officers they had helped to create. Hutch had insisted they take a romantic Honeymoon. They had been given an all expenses paid trip to San Francisco as a wedding gift and they would be staying at the Honeymoon Suite at "The Hilton."

Starsky smiled. Hutch was such a romantic. Starsky would have been happy just staying home and messing with his project car. He hated the boring, gray, mostly plastic, Ford Taurus he now drove. But on his last birthday Hutch had given him a subscription to Car Craft magazine and a set of keys. He had looked out the window and in the driveway was a faded gold pile of rust. A 1970 Gran Torino. Starsky and hugged Hutch and cried. Then he ran outside and cooed endearments to his new/old car promising it a complete engine overhaul and a flashy paint job. It was his pride and joy, next to Hutch of course.

Starsky adjusted his bifocals and looked at the other pictures on the piano. There were several all in silver frames.

The oldest picture was of two incredibly young and idealistic police officers standing by Starsky's old Torino. It was taken by Captain Dobey on the day Starsky & Hutch had become Detectives.

Starsky chuckled at the cocky dark haired cop wearing a knit hat. "That hat! I thought it kept my hair under control so Dobey wouldn't make me cut it. I remember Hutch grabbed it off my head one night on a stakeout and threw it in the back of his car. It hasn't been heard from since."

He pushed a hand through his salt and pepper curls, and picked up another framed picture. 

This was a picture of the house he was standing in. The front yard was filled with friends and family smiling for the camera. This was his and Hutch's home. Starsky remembered the day he showed it to a skeptical Hutch. Starsky was overjoyed at his new investment house. Hutch had taken a tumble and ended up flat on his back in the dirt. Starsky learned that day how many colorful curse words Hutch knew. But Hutch changed his tune when Starsky picked him up, brushed him off dragged him to the back of the house. 

"Hutch." Starsky had waved his arm. "All this acreage comes with the house. Can you imagine the garden you could have back here? Hell, you could become a freakin' farmer with all this room." 

Starsky remembered Hutch's eyes growing wide, then filling with tears. "Y...You did this for me, didn't you. You bought me...us... our own piece of the earth. Starsk, thank you." Hutch threw his arms around Starsky and hugged him tight. He broke away and spent the next hour cataloging the neglected plants, shrubs, trees, and rocks he now co-owned with his Partner.

Starsky's wandering thoughts came back to the picture. So many of the beloved faces were beyond this life. Captain Dobey and his Edith. Ma and Starsky's Aunt and Uncle. And even some of his brother cops who had helped remodel the run down shack into a beautiful home. But they had all been here that day for the party Hutch gave when Starsky was reinstated as a cop. Hutch had even flown Ma and Nick in from New York. Hutch had helped Starsky recover from Gunther's attack in this one story home. And none of the loyal friends in this picture ever said a word when Starsky and Hutch gave up their apartments and continued to live together under its roof.

"If these walls could talk!" mumbled Starsky. 

He picked up the last picture which was his favorite. He considered this picture to be be his real wedding portrait. He knew in his heart he'd been married to Hutch since the first day he stumbled into his life all those decades ago. No paper or the reluctant blessings of the State of California could alter the fact that he had loved Hutch forever and would continue to love him for eternity. In this world and the next.

"Hell, I'll love Hutch next time around if that's how it works. Fine by me!" Starsky chuckled quietly.

The framed photo in his hand was taken by Huggy. They were in a booth at "The Pits." It was a few months after Starsky had been reinstated. He and Hutch were back on the streets. Watching each other's back like always. But this time around they had a new weapon. More powerful than Hutch's cannon. More of a force for good than a whole swat team fully armed. The weapon they were wielding was Love, and it was an awesome power.

They had admitted that they loved each other. They had made glorious love to each other. They wanted to somehow show their commitment to each other. They couldn't wear wedding rings. And nothing else appealed to them as far as jewelry went. Then Huggy had suggested tattoos. He had a cousin. They liked the idea. It was a sign of commitment done with their bodies.

The day the picture was taken they had both gotten matching tattoos. Starsky on his left hip and Hutch on his right. It was a wedding band entwined with vines, leaves and flowers. Inside the rings were the words Me and Thee. The vines where actually the names Starsky and Hutch written in flowing script over and over again. When Starsky and Hutch stood next to each other in the nude, hips touching, the vines appeared connected.

"Joined at the hip." said Starsky.

Starsky loved how Hutch looked in the photo. In the soft light of the bar, his eyes were bright, his hair shone like moonlight. The smile on his face was pure joy. His cheeks blushed with the knowledge of how much he was loved. Starsky knew that because in the picture he was whispering in his ear about how they should let Huggy take a picture of their new tattoos,

"Because I'm so honored and proud that someone with such a beautiful body and soul would choose to let me be a part of it." he whispered.

Starsky replaced the picture and straightened the four silver framed memories gracing the piano and his life. He gazed one more time at the newest photo. They looked old. Like old warriors whose time for fighting was over. But they looked happy. Content. And the sky blue and steel blue eyes shone with a timeless love that kept them forever young.

"Warriors." Starsky sighed.

He and Hutch had spent the seventies and the eighties fighting the bad guys and bringing a little justice to the world. But it wasn't the bad guys or the streets that finally brought the Warriors down. When Hutch was 45 he had a near fatal heart attack. Stress, worry, anxiety and the Hutchinson patented, stoic, protect-my-partner-from-all-possible-harm-without-regard-to-my- own-health way of life finally caught up with him. Hutch was off the streets for good. And Starsky would not return without his Partner by his side. In retrospect, and Starsky was feeling quite retrospective today, it was only the beginning of the war Starsky and Hutch were always meant to fight.

They both took and passed the Lieutenant's exam. Because of their stellar record and fame, they were asked to run the newly formed Human Relations Department. It was a far cry from solving crimes. But instigating programs to help low income kids, working with educators and teaching classes to cadets on cultural diversity and anti-sexual harassment training had its own glory.

Starsky and Hutch became the first openly gay couple on the California Police Force. They didn't just pave the way for other gay officers, they bulldozed the road and made it four lanes wide.

Their proudest moment was marching in the Bay City Gay Pride Parade with fifty fellow officers, both gay and straight. Starsky & Hutch took their place, arm in arm, along side Chief William Straton an innovator in enlightenment, who led the parade.

Hutch came up behind Starsky and wrapped his arms around him.

"Baby? You okay? We're all ready to go. You reminiscing without me, Gordo?" Hutch rocked Starsky slightly and kissed his curls.

Starsky smiled at the old endearment.

"I'm ready. You got your sunglasses for those cataract sensitive baby blues and all your heart pills?" asked Starsky.

"Yeah. You got your inhaler and your Metamucil?" asked Hutch with a smirk.

"Yeah. You got your Testosterone patches?" Starsky smirked back.

"Yeah. You got the Viagra?" asked Hutch with a chuckle.

"Yeah. Got the blue Genie in a bottle, Babe. We're all set." Starsky laughed.

"Let's go! I got something I want to show you on the way to Frisco and our love nest."

After a few minutes on the road Hutch pulled into Bay City Park. Starsky could tell Hutch was up to something. But he seemed to be excited about whatever it was he wanted to show Starsky and Starsky loved him an excited Hutch. So he kept quiet.

The park had been renovated recently. There were new trails and a bike path and a large Nature Center. Hutch pulled into the parking lot of the Nature Center. Hutch turned to Starsky.

"Starsk, you know all those times I told you I was doing volunteer work at the park?" asked Hutch nervously.

"Sure! You went off and played in the dirt and I always worked on the cars. What about it?"

"Well, I've been working on something right over there. Something for you." said Hutch. 

He pointed to a beautiful part of the park, with tall stately trees, shady paths. simple rock gardens and many welcoming benches.

"Come on." said Hutch.

Starsky & Hutch walked to towards the trees and stopped at a carved wooded sign at the beginning of the woodland trail.

Starsky read the sign out loud.

"The David Michael Starsky Arboretum. Dedicated To The Brave Men And Women Of The Bay City Police Department." Starsky was speechless. He couldn't believe his eyes.

Hutch blushed and lowered his eyes.

"Do you remember the tree I planted in your name all those Christmases ago? I... I knew you didn't like it. But I loved the little thing. I've taken care of it all this time. Covered it in the Winter when it was a baby tree. Gave it fertilizer. Watered it. Helped it grow. Well, I gave that same gift to a lot of people. Dobey, Huggy, your Ma. No one ever liked it. No one ever came to see their tree. Fifty trees are planted here. More than half of them are my silly little gifts. They're like my children, Starsk. I love them so much. I've lost a few. But most have grown tall and strong. Especially yours."

Starsky was overwhelmed with love for his Partner. He couldn't believe what his lover had done for him, for all their friends.

With a husky voice he asked, "Why me? The dedication. Why me?"

Hutch looked up. "When they began the recent renovation to the park, the Head Ranger found out that some crazy nature nut had kept all these trees alive and he asked to meet with me. He told me what he wanted to do. I cried, Starsk."

Starsky grabbed Hutch's hand.

"He told me I could name the Arboretum. It started with you, Starsk. I would be nothing without you. What else could I name it?" Hutch smiled softly.

Starsky pulled Hutch into his arms and held him close.

"What did I ever do to deserve the love of a beautiful person like you, I am so blessed, Hutch."

Hutch pulled away. "Do you want to see your tree?"

Starsky smiled. "Lead on, Nature Nut."

Hutch stopped in front of the tallest tree in the stand. A bronze plaque was at the base of the tree. Starsky read it out loud.

"Sequoia sempervirons- Coastal Redwood. This Tree Was Planted In The Name Of David Michael Starsky By His Partner Hutch."

"Hutch! This is a Redwood Tree? Those live to be..."

"1800 years. I know you told me. Several times. I remembered you liked them." Hutch touched the tree and petted its bark.

Hutch spoke to the tree.

"Sweetie? This is your Dad, Starsky. I've told you all about him."

"Nice to meet you! You are one big boy aren't you?" Starsky patted the tree affectionately.

"He needs extra water to grow this far south. I installed a special sprinkler system just for him. He's just a toddler by Redwood standards."

"Toddler, huh? Well, he's gonna learn about the birds and the bees right now."

Starsky pulled Hutch close and kissed him till he was gasping for air.

Starsky pulled back and laughed. "Out of breath, Old Man? Want to use my inhaler?"

Hutch shook his head and took in a deep breath that smelled of Redwood, warm earth and Starsky.

Starsky looked up to the top of his tree.

"This tree is the best present I've ever gotten. I love you, Babe."

"I love you too, Starsk. I'm glad you like it."

The two old men sat side by side on a nearby bench holding hands and gazing up at the clouds through the strong branches of the Redwood. They wouldn't hurry back to the car. They would sit and reminisce about a life well spent. A life full of love. They had all the time in the world.

**Author's Note:**

> I never did get what was wrong with Hutch's gift of a tree. I actually planted a tree on Arbor Day in 1976 in my future Husband's name, at the College we both attended. I often think of how tall and stately it is now. Grown stronger every year like our love. It's a great gift! Really! Really!


End file.
